| "SOUNDER"
Author: William Armstrong
Illustrator: James Barkley
Interest Level: Middle Grades (4-8)
ATOS Reading Level: 5.3
AR Points: 3.0
Publisher's Recommended Ages: 10+
Publisher: HarperCollins/Harper Trophy
Book Type: Paperback
Pages: 132
Book Description:
A landmark in children's literature, winner of the 1970 Newbery Medal, and the basis of an acclaimed film, Sounder traces the keen sorrow and the abiding faith of a poor African-American boy in the 19th-century South. The boy's father is a sharecropper, struggling to feed his family in hard times. Night after night, he and his great coon dog, Sounder, return to the cabin empty-handed.
Then, one morning, almost like a miracle, a sweet-smelling ham is cooking in the family's kitchen. At last the family will have a good meal. But that night, an angry sheriff and his deputies come, and the boy's life will never be the same.
Book Reviews:
School Library Journal: "A rarely beautiful, understated novel. An extraordinarily sensitive book.”
ALA Booklist: "Powerfully moving."
Book Awards:
USA: Newbery 1970
USA: ALA, Notable Children's Book
USA: New York Times, Outstanding Book of the Year
USA: School Library Journal, Best of the Best in Young Adult Literature
USA: Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
USA: Library of Congress, Children's Books
USA: Missouri - Mark Twain Award
USA: Horn Book Fanfare
USA: Hawaii - Nene Award
About the Author:
William H. Armstrong grew up in Lexington, Virginia.He was graduated from Hampden-Sydney College and did graduate work at the University of Virginia. He taught ancient history and study techniques at the Kent School for fifty-two years.
He also had a small sheep farm and lived in a house he built with his own hands. Author of more than a dozen books for adults and children, he won the John Newberry Medal for Sounder in 1970 and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Hampden-Sydney College in 1986.
Other Interesting Information:
In 1972, "Sounder" was made into a film starring Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks, Carmen Mathews, Taj Mahal, and Eric Hooks. It was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor (Winfield), Best Actress (Tyson), and Best Adapted Screenplay. |
